Love in Desperate Times
by Hiroakki
Summary: I arrive at Iwatodai station later than expected. Something seems eerie about tonight. There's a power outage, coffins everywhere, and the moon... seems somewhat menacing. I should hurry to the dorm. This story follows the nameless female protagonist's story from P3P. Follow her story through one year and see how she matures in battle, in life, and in love.
1. Welcoming

**I've been tempted for so long to write a Persona 3 fanfic! I was recently able to finally finish the game, after almost a whole year! That was when I finally decided to write this :D**

 **For those of you who did not play the persona 3 portable (P3P), you have the choice to be either a male or a female in that game. Since I have more experience writing from a female perspective, this story will follow the female protagonist's story.**

 **This will be a long journey, so I will not commit to it until I see that there's at least one person who would be willing to read this.**

 **Enjoy!**

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Chapter 1: Welcoming

 _Sunday: April 5th, 2009_

The train is late… At this rate, I'll be there after midnight.

Ah! There it is!

The train comes to a full stop and the door opens in front of me. I walk inside and get a seat. It's almost completely empty. At this hour, it's not that surprising. An announcement is being made, probably an apology for the inconvenience that might've been caused by the tardiness of the train. I can barely hear it, though, through the music blaring in my headphones.

 _11:55 PM_

Another announcement…

"…Iwatodai Station…"

That's all I manage to hear through the music, and that's all I need to know. I get up and get ready.

Finally there. It should be a short walk from the station. It's almost midnight. It'll be the first time I walk alone at night like that. It's mostly because my parents never allowed me, being concerned that something bad might happen to a young girl like me.

…I miss their lecturing, even though it was pretty annoying.

 _Monday:_ _12:00 AM, April 6th, 2009_

Just as I'm about to leave the station, The lights flicker and I hear something that sounds similar to a power outage. It's as if all engines are down. Is there a problem with the electricity? I should hurry to the dorm… I'm getting a really bad feeling about this.

When I get outside, I'm surprised by just how gigantic and eerie the moon looks. It emits a greenish light, and my surroundings seem so surreal. Coffins are standing at random places in the deserted city. What's happening? I need to get to the dorm…

After a short walk, I find myself at the dorm that's mentioned in my admission pamphlet. It is rather strange how I easily got in and, on top of it all, got a scholarship for this school. I didn't even apply for a scholarship, but I still got one. I open the door and find out that the lights aren't working here either. The lights outside was out as well. It's like a major power outage throughout the city…

"Welcome."

I hear a young boy's voice. I turn to my left and see a pale child with bright blue eyes and short black hair standing there. He is wearing a stripped black and white shirt, pants of the same colour, and blue slippers. He is smiling gently at me. Is he one of my dorm-mates? He looks kind of young to be attending the same school as me, considering I am in my second year of high school.

"You're late. I've been waiting a long time."

Waiting…? For me? He holds out a piece of paper to me.

"If you want to proceed, then please sign here. It's a contract."

Why would I ever sign a contract…? What is this kid after?

"There's no need to be scared."

I gasp. It's as if he read my mind. What is this contract even about? And who is this mysterious boy?

"It only binds you to accepting full responsibility for your actions."

There he goes again! I take the paper from him and read what is written: " _I chooseth this fate of mine own free will._ "

Below that is a blank to sign my name. For some reason, I feel compelled to sign it. My hand just moves on its own and I write my name.

"…Very well."

The boy takes the contract from me.

"Time is something that no one can escape. It delivers us all to the same end. Wishing won't make it go away. And so it begins…"

The boy disappears as if melting into the darkness. For some reason, I feel like I've known this boy for all my life, but I am pretty sure this is the first time I ever saw him.

"…Who's there!?"

I turn around and find a girl rushing towards me from the corridor. She has short light brown hair and brown eyes. She's prettier than the average girl. She looks surprised and scared.

"How can you be… But it's…!"

I can't make heads or tails of what she's trying to say. Before I could say anything, her face becomes hostile and she adopts a menacing tone.

"Don't tell me…"

That's when I notice that she is holding something that looks like a gun.

"Wait!"

"…!"

Another girl came running through the hallway and stopped the first one from doing anything crazy with the gun. The second girl has long red hair, and reddish brown eyes. She has an authoritative and haughty air about her. In the next second, the lights come back on. The first girl speaks up.

"The lights…"

"Let's sit down first. I'll explain everything."

The second girl led us to the lounge. She then addresses me.

"I didn't think you'd arrive so late. My name is Kirijo Mitsuru. I'm one of the students who live in this dorm."

The first girl then whispered to Mitsuru.

"Who's she?"

"She's a transfer student. It was a last minute decision to assign her here."

"…Is it okay for her to be here?"

What does she mean by that? Am I not supposed to be in this dorm?

"I guess we'll see…"

Mitsuru smiles calmly.

"This is Takeba Yukari. She'll be a junior this spring, just like you."

"Hi, I'm Yukari."

She looks at me, expecting me to say something.

"If you don't mind me asking, why do you have a gun?"

"Huh?!"

Yukari looks flustered at my question. She probably didn't expect it, but I couldn't help but ask. Guns are not exactly a common sight in this country, as far as I know.

"Um, well, it's sorta like a hobby…"

"A hobby…"

I'm not buying it.

"Well, not a hobby, but…"

Before Yukari could stumble more into her lie, Mitsuru cuts in.

"You know how it is these days… It's for self-defence. It's not a real gun of course."

She smiles calmly again after she says that. She seems like a very confident person, that it's hard, even for me, not to believe her.

"Yukari will show you to your room. Get settled in, and rest up until tomorrow. Your room is on the third floor, at the end of the hallway. Your things should already be there."

"Alright, thank you."

Yukari gets up and smiles brightly at me. It's a completely different image from the one she showed me when I first saw her.

"Oh… I'll show you the way. Follow me."

We go up the stairs to the third floor and head to the end of the hallway. Yukari stands in front of a room on the right.

"This is it… Pretty easy to remember, huh? …Since it's right at the end of the hall."

I nod. I wonder which room belongs to that kid I saw earlier.

"Hey, are there guys who live here too?"

"Well, the whole second floor is dedicated to all male residents, yes. Why are you asking?"

"I was just wondering is that kid lives here too."

"Huh? What kid?"

Yukari seems like she genuinely doesn't have a clue what I'm talking about.

"…Never mind."

She then looks at me with a bit of concern.

"Um… Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it?"

I wonder what she wants to ask me. Is it about the why I arrived so late?

"On your way here from the station, was everything okay?"

If I tell her about the coffins and the moon, she'll probably think I'm crazy after I just asked her about a boy that she never saw around here. Why would she be asking, though? Is it just out of pure concern?

"What do you mean?"

"Oh… Nothing. Forget I asked. Well, I'll let you rest then."

She leaves me there. As I am ready to go in my room, she turns around.

"I'm sure you have other questions, but let's save them for later, okay? Rest well."

She smiles and walks downstairs. I enter my room, at last. I look around and find that the decorations were kept very simple. There's my bed with pink sheets and a calendar hung on the wall, right behind the bed. The blinds are all pink as well. The wall is a soft cream colour that tones down the pinkish atmosphere. A TV is stationed right in front of the bed. A desk is resting on the wall, beneath the window. Finally, as soon as I walk in, on my left, there's a sink and a mirror, where I can put all my beauty products, even though I don't really have that many. I find my belongings in cardboard boxes next to the bed. I should unpack and get some sleep. I need to be in top shape for tomorrow.

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 **As I said, I will only be continuing this if I see that there are people who read it and like it. It is a pretty old game, so I wouldn't be surprised if there isn't a lot of readers, but all I'm asking for is at least one person :D**

 **If you liked this chapter and would like to read more, please review/follow/or** **favourite (or all of them XD)**

 **Thank you!**


	2. First Day

**Since I got so many positive feedback, I decided that I will continue writing this story! Thank you so much for your encouraging reviews :D**

 **I thought I'd write a chapter right away to tell you that I will be continuing this story, but the updates won't be that fast, it was only because the story is starting up XD**

 **I will still try to update regularly for sure.**

 **I hope you enjoy the second chapter of this story :)**

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Chapter 2: First Day

 _Tuesday: April 7th, 2009_

I open my eyes. It takes me a while before I realize where I am. I'm in the dorm. So many strange things happened yesterday. Was it all a dream? I look at the time. It seems like my alarm clock didn't go off yet. I should just get up and get ready; it's going to ring in five minutes anyway. I get up and turn it off before it causes a ruckus. I wash up and change into my school uniform. Just then, I hear someone knock on my door.

"Who is it?"

"Oh, it's Yukari. Are you awake?"

"Yeah, you can come in."

Yukari comes in, wearing her own school uniform.

"Good morning. Did you sleep okay?"

I nod.

"Mitsuru-senpai asked me to take you to school. You seem like you're ready to go."

"Yup!"

"Awesome, let's go then."

I was actually worrying a little about getting there alone. I'm not exactly the best when it comes to directions.

After a short walk, we reach the monorail and embark. It then starts gliding over the water to reach the island where Gekkoukan High is located.

"Bet you didn't have to take a monorail to get to your school before, huh?"

"Yeah, it's a pretty unique way of reaching school."

"This is actually my favourite part… Our stop is Port Island Station at the end of the line. From there, we walk. Have you ever heard of Tatsumi Port Island?"

"Isn't that a man-made island?"

"That's right! Oh, look, you can see it now!"

Looking outside, I can spot the school standing in the middle of the island. For some reason, I get chills just looking at it. It's probably just my imagination again.

After another short walk, we reach the school.

"Well, here we are… Welcome to Gekkoukan High! You're gonna love it here!"

Yukari then goes to her locker and changes into her indoor shoes.

"Since you don't have a locker yet, you can use mine for today."

"Thanks."

I do the same and neatly place my outdoor shoes next to hers.

"What do you say we go check which class we're in?"

"Yeah, I'm actually curious about that."

I kind of hope I'm in the same class as Yukari, since she's the only person I know. I follow her to the bulletin board where the classes were announced.

I can't find my name… Oh! There's a little note at the end with my name on it. It seems like I'm in class F.

"Yukari-chan! It's been so long…!"

Yukari's attention turns towards the newcomer, a girl who seems like she knows Yukari.

"Hey! How've you been?"

She then turns to me.

"You should probably go to the faculty office to meet up with your homeroom teacher. It's going to be right there to the left."

"Thanks…"

She then turns to leave, then turns back around.

"Hey… About last night… Don't tell anyone what you saw, okay?"

She's probably talking about the gun. It's not like anyone would ever believe me anyway.

"Don't worry about it."

"Thanks, see ya later."

She then leaves for good this time. I guess I should get going then.

When I reach the Faculty Office, I go inside. All the teachers there look at me. One of them gets up and motions for me to go see her.

"You're the new student, aren't you? In my 11th grade class?"

"That's right."

"Let's see here."

The teacher starts flipping through pages in a file. When she finally find the paper she was looking for, I see my face on it. I guess it's my profile.

"Wow, you've lived in a lot of different places… Let's see… In 1999… That was what, ten years ago? Your parents…"

She then gasps. Most people have that reaction.

"I'm sorry… I've been so busy, I didn't have time to read this beforehand."

She looks at me apologetically. My parents may be dead for a while, but it feels like it was only yesterday that it happened. I still unconsciously follow their lectures, I even sometimes hear their voices giving me advice. Still, I don't hold it against anyone, and I don't need anyone's pity regarding this matter. It's been ten years, and I have accepted it. No one should feel bad about it after all this time.

"I'm Ms. Toriumi, I teach Composition. I'll be your homeroom teacher this year. Welcome to our school."

"It's a pleasure to meet you."

"My, how polite you are. I wish all our students were like that. Have you seen the classroom assignments? You're in 2-F. Now let's get to the auditorium. The Welcoming Ceremony will be starting soon. Follow me."

I follow Ms. Toriumi to the auditorium and find a seat next to some students that I've never seen before. The principal is giving a speech that I don't even bother concentrating on. Some students start chattering around me. I don't blame them considering just how boring the speech is.

"I heard we got a transfer student."

"Yep. I've seen her, too. She came to school with Yukari."

I guess my reputation precedes me, not that I really have any reputation. They then get reprimanded by a teacher for talking.

I finally find my class after and our first class starts. After school, one of the students in my class comes up to me. He's wearing a cap and has a very subtle goatee.

"'Sup, dude?"

"Who are you?"

And why are you calling me "dude"?

"Me? I'm Iori Junpei. Nice to meet ya. I transferred here when I was in 8th grade. I know how tough it is bein' the new kid… So I thought I'd check up on you, make sure you weren't freaking out on your first day."

I hear someone sigh behind me. Yukari then comes up in front of me, next to Junpei.

"At it again, huh? Honestly, is there any girl you wouldn't hit on? Did you ever think you might be bothering someone?"

Well, I was actually happy he's being so friendly.

"It didn't really bother me."

"See? She didn't get bothered, Yuka-tan. I was just being friendly."

"Yeah, whatever."

Yukari then turns to me.

"Anyway, some coincidence that we'd be in the same homeroom, huh?"

"Yeah, I know. I didn't realize until now."

Junpei then barges in the conversation.

"Um, hello? Did you forget I'm in this class too? C'mon, lemme in on the fun! By the way, do you guys know each other? I heard you two came to school together this morning. A couple of cuties like you, walking side by side… The whole class was buzzing about you."

Is that the only thing people think about? I didn't want to be the source of rumours from my first day here. Yukari sighs again, but in a more impatient manner.

"Ugh… Could you just cut it out? I hate dealing with rumours like that. I mean, I'm used to it, but she just got here, you know? Don't you feel bad, spreading rumours like that? …Well, I've gotta go take care of some archery team stuff. Don't try anything funny, you got that, Junpei?"

After saying that, Yukari leaves once more.

"What is she, your nanny…?"

"Don't look at me; I didn't ask her to act that way."

I do feel like she's treating me like I'm some sort of fragile little girl. Oh well, I guess it's all with good intentions.

"To clear things up, I didn't come over here to hit on you or anything…"

"It's alright, I really appreciate your friendliness."

"Alright, that's good!"

Junpei smiles brightly.

"If you ever have a problem, you can tell your ol' pal Junpei about it!"

I giggle.

"Thanks."

Junpei then blushes a little.

"N-No prob! My door's always open. Want me to walk you back to the dorms?"

"Oh, sure, if it's on your way."

This could be the start of a friendship. We make small talk on our way back and he tells me about how I can join some clubs in a few days. Maybe I should do that. I wonder what clubs need members.

When I get back to the dorm, I go straight up to my room. I change into more comfortable clothes after taking a long warm shower. I should go get something to eat.

As I go down the stairs, I hear Mitsuru's voice speaking with a male voice that I haven't heard around here before. I can't really make out what they're saying. When I get downstairs, they both stop talking and look at me. I didn't want to interrupt, but my stomach comes first. I notice that the person Mitsuru was talking to is a tall guy with short grey hair and eyes of the same tone. He's wearing our school's uniform, so I'm guessing that he's probably an upperclassman. At least, I think he looks older. There's an awkward silence until Mitsuru speaks up.

"Having a little craving? You'll find the food there behind the counter."

"Thanks."

As I do my thing, I feel two pairs of eyes staring at me. I get it, you want me gone so that you can continue whatever private conversation you were having. But, since I don't feel like rushing, I'll take whatever time I need to get something to eat.

I then hear a sigh from the male student.

"Anyway, I'm going out, Mitsuru. Don't worry, I'm just getting a little practice."

He calls Mitsuru by her first name without any suffix? I guess they're pretty close. I hear Mitsuru sighing.

"This isn't a game, Akihiko…"

So that's his name. Those two seem like they've known each other for a while. Either that or they're "together". Why do I care? I guess it's just human's nature to be curious about other people's business. I finish eating up and go back to my room. I study a bit and go to sleep.

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 **Thank you so much everyone for reading this story, it really encourages me to see people enjoying it.**

 **Please review! :D**


	3. Happy Accident

**I think this story is doing much better than I first anticipated! I'm glad you guys like it :D**

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter as well!**

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Chapter 3: Happy Accident

 _Wednesday: April 8th, 2009_

I wake up way too early, much earlier than the time I set my alarm for. Well, there's no use in just lying around in bed. I get up and get ready. I could always go for a walk around the block to get more acquainted with the area.

When I'm done, I get out of my room and head downstairs. As I expected, everyone else is asleep. I prepare myself some good for breakfast. While preparing, I hear footsteps coming down the stairs. I wonder who's up this early. I go out of the kitchen and find that guy that Mitsuru was talking to yesterday. 'Akihiko' is his name I think. When he notices me, he looks surprised.

"Oh, I didn't think anyone would be awake at this time."

He breaks the silence first. He's all dressed up, probably heading out.

"Yeah, I couldn't really get much sleep."

"You're the new girl, right?"

"Yes, I arrived a few days ago."

He then extends his hand to me, waiting for a handshake.

"My name is Akihiko. I'm a senior at Gekkoukan."

I shake his hand and smile.

"Nice to meet you. How come you're up so early?"

"Oh, I'm actually going for a jog before class starts."

He then sniffs the air.

"Is something burning?"

Oh no!

"My eggs!"

I run back to the kitchen and save the eggs from being completely carbonized. This never happened to me before… I guess I was a bit too distracted talking to Akihiko.

"Is everything alright?"

I turn around and notice Akihiko standing right behind me. I didn't even notice that he followed me.

"Well… I guess I won't be having any breakfast this morning."

More like I don't feel like making it again.

"Sorry, I distracted you a bit, didn't I…"

He seems to genuinely feel bad.

"It's not your fault, Akihiko-senpai."

"O-Oh! Well… if you say so…"

He sounds flustered. Is calling him by his first name a bit too familiar? It's just that he didn't give me his last name, so I just assumed that he didn't mind if I called him Akihiko.

"Why don't you go eat breakfast out?"

"Well, I don't really know where anything is yet…"

I totally would if I knew.

"There's still a lot of time left before classes start. Do you want to go eat breakfast with me?"

Did he just ask me out? No, he's just being nice and helpful. Well, I really don't see why not.

"Sure! I was just thinking that it'd be such a bummer if I didn't get any breakfast after waking up so early. I wouldn't want to hold you from your jog, though…"

"It's alright; I'll jog after school twice as much."

We go to a nearby restaurant that, oddly enough, was already open at this time. We eat without much conversation happening, but it doesn't feel terribly awkward. I guess we were just both really enjoying the food. We then head to school together. As soon as we arrive, a bunch of girls give me death stares while having very shocked expressions. What's all this about?

"Well, I'll be going to my class, so I'll see you later."

Akihiko goes to his classroom, while I head towards mine. On my way there, some girls stop me.

"Hey you, who do you think you are sticking to Akihiko-senpai like that?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Sticking to him? I never even touched him.

"Don't play dumb! You were all over him! We all saw that. Why are you coming to school with Akihiko-senpai? Not like you're up to his standards anyway…"

All of them keep shooting mean and unreasonable comments at me. This is getting annoying… I walk around them and head for class.

"Hey! Come back here!"

No way. I get to my class and am greeted by Junpei.

"Hey there! People are saying that you came to school with Akihiko-senpai."

"Not you too…"

Class starts and everything goes smoothly from there. Granted, I kept getting death stares from nearly every single girl… I guess Akihiko is pretty famous among girls. I can see why… He is quite handsome.

"Hey, I'm heading home first."

Yukari waves at me as she leaves. Junpei then comes up to me. I want to ask him more about the clubs.

"Hey, Junpei, what kind of clubs can I join?"

"Well, I think it's only the sport clubs that are going to be accepting new members. I'll show you where they're located."

I follow Junpei downstairs, where we go through an outside passage. While outside, I notice a small tree standing in the middle of the yard. It seems sort of out of place, compared to its surroundings. Junpei notices that I stopped.

"You're curious about the tree?"

"Yeah, what kind of tree is it?"

"I don't know, don't ask me. I've heard rumours that it was recently planted. If you really want to know, you should ask around the people who come here more often than me."

I guess that's why it's so small…

I follow Junpei to the other side of the path. We go inside the opposite building.

"So this is where the athletic clubs are. I think there are three of them that are for girls and three for boys. Anyway, I need to go back home. Want to tag along?"

I nod and we head out.

When I arrive at the dorm, it's already evening. When I go in, I see a man I've never met before sitting in the lounge. He has mid-length light brown hair, wears a pair of glasses, and a brown suit, matching his hair.

"Oh, she's back!"

Yukari says when she sees me. The man then looks at me.

"So, this is our new guest… Good evening. My name is Ikutsuki Shuji. I'm the Chairman of the Board for your school. I apologize for the confusions regarding your accommodations. However, it may take a while longer before you receive the proper room assignment."

I'm not really complaining, though. I actually like this dorm. The chairman smiles at me. He's a bit creepy looking, to be honest, but I guess it's just the way he styles his hair. Not a very appealing style…

"I hope you have a successful school year. Now, if you'll excuse me… You must be tired from all the excitement. You should go to bed early."

Who are you… my mom? I'll sleep whenever I want to sleep. I do admit I'm tired, though. The chairman keeps talking.

"As they say, "The early bird catches the bookworm"!"

Was that supposed to be a pun…? Nobody laughed. Noticing that, the chairman speaks up to break the awkward silence.

"…Please forgive the bad pun."

He then chuckles. I don't think he's actually sorry for that.

"Then, if you'll excuse me…"

After saying that, I go head upstairs and fall asleep.

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 **Thanks again for reading and don't forget to review and tell me what you thought ;D**


	4. Awakening

**I finally wrote this! I hope it's fun to read :D**

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Chapter 4: Awakening

"… Mistress… Mistress…"

Who…? Where's this voice coming from…? I open my eyes and find myself in a blue room. I am sitting on chair, facing an old man, dressed in a suit. He has a long pointy nose. The top of his head is bald, with long white hair only growing at the bottom part of his skull. He looks at me with a smile.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room. My name is Igor; I am delighted to make your acquaintance."

Igor…? Velvet Room…? The last thing I remember doing was going to sleep in my bed at the dorm… How did I even get here? Where even is… "here"?

"This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter…"

I didn't even need to ask him out loud. He just answered me on his own.

"Only those who have signed the contract can enter this place…"

The contract…! Is it that paper I signed when I first got to the dorm? This must all be just a crazy dream. A dream that feels too real…

"Henceforth, you shall be welcome in the Velvet Room. You are destined to hone your unique ability, and you will require my help to do so. I only ask one thing in return…"

There's always got to be a catch to everything…

"What is it…?"

"…that you abide by the contract, and assume responsibility for the choices you make."

Responsibility… choices… Doesn't that just come with our free will? We all must assume the consequences of our actions.

"I understand."

Igor then hands me a key.

"Hold on to this… With this key, you will be able to access the Velvet room whenever you wish, as long as you find the door."

I take the key and look at it. It's an oddly shaped key. The part that goes in the lock looks like a lozenge with the top edges extending to form an x. The same shape is at the bottom of the lozenge as well. A face, half blue, half white, is drawn on the top part of the key. Rays surround the face.

I shouldn't lose this. If I wake up with it, then I'm sure that this is not a dream…

"There is still one more resident of this room, who, unfortunately, could not be present for your arrival. But I'll make sure you two are properly introduced. Another time, perhaps. 'Til we meet again…"

I then feel my vision fog up, and my thoughts become fuzzy.

I open my eyes and find myself in my dorm room. So… it was all a dream after all. I then feel my hand clenching in a fist around a small object. I look at my hand and open it. It's…! The key! So it wasn't a dream after all! But… what does all of this mean? I'm so confused… Yet, I feel like it's something that I have to go along with.

I look at the time and realize that it's still very early. Well, no use in lying around in bed. I attach the key to my keychain and put it in my bag. Maybe I'll see Akihiko-senpai today too… It is nice to be able to talk to someone who's direct and honest. These are not qualities that you find often…

After I get ready, I go downstairs and, sure enough, I find Akihiko-senpai sitting on the couch in the lounge. Was he actually… waiting for me? The thought puts a smile on my face. He hears me coming and gets up from his spot right away.

"O-Oh! You're up early… again!"

"Yeah, I think it'll take me a lot more time than I thought to get used to the dorm."

"Well, um, want to go for a jog…?"

I then look at him and nod.

"Just let me make a sandwich to take with me. Do you want one too, senpai?"

"Yeah, that would be nice…"

We jog all the way to school, with me barely keeping up with his pace. He was nice enough to actually slow down when he noticed me falling behind.

"I'll see you later."

He waves at me and leaves for his class. It would be nice if this becomes a routine. I do need to get in shape, even though it is pretty painful. Good thing I brought that sandwich.

Class ends and I head out. On my way outside, Yukari catches up with me.

"Hey! Let's walk home together. I wanted to show you a really nice place."

"Sure, I'd like that."

I do need to know a bit more about this place. We take the shuttle and then the bus. We arrive at an outdoor mall, where I recognize a lot of students from our school hanging out there.

"This is Paulownia Mall! Have you come here before?"

"No, this is my first time."

"Well, that's why I'm here! I'll show you around!"

She drags me around the place, introducing me to the various shops there. The places that caught my attention the most are the Antique Shop and the nightclub. I know I can't go in there because of my age, but that's precisely the reason why it intrigues me more. I also notice that, next to the police station, there's a back alley that emanates a blue light that's very similar to the shade of blue from the velvet room.

"Yukari… What's over there?"

I point at the alley.

"Oh, that's just a dark old alley. I wouldn't go there if I were you."

"Dark…?"

To me it was anything but dark with that blue light. Can Yukari not see it?

After our little trip to the Paulownia Mall, we go back to the dorm. Ikutsuki is there today too. He's talking with Mitsuru about some things I won't even bother to understand. Akihiko-senpai isn't home yet, as usual.

I go up to my room without saying anything to anyone and do a bit of homework before dozing off.

A loud noise snaps me out of my sleep. What was that? I should go and check… Before I could even get up, I hear someone banging on my door.

"Wake up!"

Yukari? She sounds really in panic. I get up from my bed and I change.

"Sorry, I'm coming in!"

When she comes in, I'm fully clothed in some casual everyday clothes, instead of my pyjamas.

"What's going on…?"

"I don't have time to explain. We have to get out of here, now!"

Before I could protest, she grabs my wrist and drags me out of my room.

"Hurry! Downstairs! We'll leave through the back door!"

By that point, I'm just following her, even after she let go of my wrist. This whole situation is confusing, but I could feel her panic. There must be something bad that's happening.

"Wait! …Take this, just in case."

Yukari then hands me a naginata. It's a very thin one, that doesn't seem very sturdy, but I guess it'll do for basic self-defence.

"Okay, let's go! Follow me!"

When we reach the first floor, we head for the back door.

"Alright, we should be safe now…"

A beeping sound comes from Yukari's pocket. Yukari then clicks on the on button on her device, that kind of looks like a walkie talkie, and Mitsuru's voice is heard through it.

"Takeba, do you read me?!"

"Y-Yes! I hear you!"

"Be careful! There's more than one enemy! The one we're fighting isn't the one Akihiko saw!"

Fighting? Enemy? Why does all this seem so normal to her when she's saying it?

"What?!"

Yukari sounds surprised, but I'm sure it's only because of there being more than one enemy, and not the fact that there are enemies in the first place… Something then bangs against the door we're supposed to escape from. Yukari gasps.

"L-Let's pull back!"

We head to the second floor, but then we hear something shatter downstairs.

"What was that?!"

"I think whoever or whatever it is got in!"

We then hear footsteps coming up the stairs at an alarming speed.

"It's getting closer! K-Keep moving! Hurry!"

Yukari is clearly scared of whatever is coming after us. We reach the rooftop and Yukari locks the door behind us. Yukari takes a few ragged breaths, trying to calm herself down.

"The door's locked. I we're safe for now…"

We both then hear a growl coming from the edge of the rooftop. Something's…

"Something's climbing up!"

At what I said, Yukari just stares in horror as long dark limbs come up to the roof. She then lets out her confusion and fear.

"You gotta be kidding me…! It climbed the wall…?!"

That is all she manages to says, with a shaking voice.

"What is that…?"

A dark figure is not standing in front of us, menacingly.

"That's the thing that attacked this place… We call them Shadows! O-Oh yeah… I have to fight… I… I can summon mine… No problem…"

Summon her what…? Yukari then take the gun that I've seen her carry everywhere and points it to her head. Is she planning to kill herself…?! No… She wants to summon… something… Something that I also feel…

The shadow then attacks Yukari and her gun drop to the ground. The gun…!

"….Do it…"

A voice inside my head guides me to do the same thing as Yukari. I dive for the gun and get up. I get away from the shadow and shoot my head without hesitation. I then feel a surge of power and see a figure carrying a harp… Orpheus. Its name is Orpheus.

"Thou art I… and I art thou…"

Something… Something is wrong! My head hurts! I drop to my knees and scream out of pain. Orpheus then transforms into a form that is much more terrifying. I can't see all the details through the pain that this is causing. All I can see in a figure brutally attacking the shadow and tearing it to pieces.

"What on earth was that…?!"

Akihiko-senpai is here…? I guess they all got here as fast as they could. Orpheus then regains its original form and the pain subsides. I get up and steady myself. I look at Yukari who's still on the floor.

"Is it over…?"

She manages to say. However, we all hear another sound of approaching creatures. More shadows…? Yukari then points at the pieces of the defeated shadow.

"It's still moving…!"

One of the pieces of the shadow is heading for Yukari.

"No… G-Get away from me!"

I have to save her! She's defenceless! I run in front of her, holding the naginata that she gave me. Without much thought, I strike the shadow. It's knocked back, but another one comes from behind it. I think… I need to summon Orpheus again. I can't possibly defeat those things with a dull naginata. I take the gun again and point it at my head.

"Orpheus!"

Orpheus then appears again and bashes the shadows with its harp. They both then immediately disappear after letting out a sharp cry. I think… that was all of them… I'm so tired… I…

When I open my eyes, I find myself in a familiar place. This is… the Velvet Room…

"It's so nice to see you again."

Igor…

"You became unconscious after awakening to your "power". I see that it was Orpheus that heeded your calling. That power is called a Persona… It is a manifestation of your psyche."

"Persona?"

"A Persona is a facet of your personality that surfaces as you react to external stimuli… You can think of it as a mask that protects you as you brave many hardships."

"A mask?"

"When you use your Persona ability, you must channel your inner strength. The ability evolves as you develop your Social Links: your emotional ties with others. The stronger your Social Links, the more powerful your Persona ability. Please remember that. I shouldn't keep you here any longer. Next time we meet, you will come here of your own accord. Until then… Farewell."

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	5. Coma

**Here it is! I took a while, but I finally did it! I hope you guys enjoy!**

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Chapter 5: Coma

 _Sunday: April 19th, 2009_

My head… It feels so heavy. I open my eyes slowly and see a while ceiling. I'm lying down…? Where am I? I turn my head slowly around to examine my surroundings. I then notice Yukari sitting beside my bed.

"You're awake…! Um, how do you feel?"

"A bit heavy…"

Yukari seems on the verge of tears.

"Thank goodness. You finally came to…"

"How long have I been out of it? And… Where are we?"

"…Oh, this is Tatsumi Memorial Hospital. It's a short walk from the station. You've been unconscious for about ten days… The doctor couldn't find anything wrong with you. He said you were just exhausted. Um… I'm sorry I couldn't do anything… But, your power… It was amazing."

"Ten days…? What happened?"

My memory is a bit fuzzy.

"The power you used… We call it 'Persona'. And those creatures you defeated are shadows: our enemy. We'll explain everything later. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before…"

"It's alright."

It's all starting to come back to me now. The shadows… Orpheus… That weird thing that Orpheus transformed into.

"I, uh…"

Yukari starts talking again.

"I wanted to tell you that… I'm sorta like you."

"What do you mean?"

"My dad died in an accident when I was litte… And my mom and I aren't exactly on good terms… You're all alone too, right?"

I nod.

"To be honest, I already know about your past… But, it didn't seem fair, so I wanted you to know about mine… It was back in '99... There was a big explosion in the area. Supposedly, my dad died in the blast, but nobody really knows what happened… He was working in a lab run by the Kirijo Group."

The Kirijo Group? Isn't Mitsuru's last name Kirijo?

"So, I'm hoping that if I stick around long enough, I'll find out something. That's why I'm going to Gekkoukan high, and why I was there when this happened to you. Of course, I panicked and wasn't much help… It was my first time fighting them, too.I'm sorry… You wouldn't have to go through all this if I wasn't such a coward…"

It's not her fault…

"I was scared, too. Don't blame yourself about this."

"Really...? But still… And here I am telling you all this the minute you wake up. While I was waiting, I thought to myself: "I've been hiding so many things from her... As soon as she wakes up, I'll tell her the truth." So, thanks for listening. I've been wanting to share that story with someone for a long time."

"I'm glad you shared it with me. It helps me understand you a little better, Yukari-chan."

Yukari smiles at me and a wave of relief washes over her face.

"By the way, how are the others doing?"

"Well, Mitsuru-senpai and the chairman are both fine. Akihiko-senpai hurt his shoulder."

Akihiko-senpai got hurt?

"Is he at the hospital?"

"Not anymore, it wasn't a serious injury or anything. Alright, I'm gonna get going. I'll let the others know you woke up. B-Bye."

With that, she leaves the hospital room. I still feel like I don't fully understand what's happening. Actually, I don't understand any of it. Persona…? Shadows…? The Velvet Room…? I try to get up from the bed. It takes a lot of effort since my whole body feels kind of groggy. I manage to sit. I notice that I'm in some hospital clothes. None of my belongings are here. I guess I can't leave even if I wanted to. I'm sure Yukari or Mitsuru will bring me some clothes to change into.

This is getting really boring, really fast. I have absolutely nothing to do, and it's been only thirty minutes since Yukari left. I hope someone comes in-

"Hey! You're awake!"

Akihiko-senpai barges into my room. I let out a small scream.

"Don't scare me like that, Akihiko-senpai!"

He scratches the back of his head, looking embarrassed.

"S-Sorry… I didn't mean to startle you."

I smile at him. Finally, I won't feel too bored now that someone's here.

"Man, you had me-… everyone worried about you when you were in a coma for so long."

Akihiko-senpai then walks in and sits in the chair that Yukari was sitting in a before.

"How's your shoulder, senpai?"

"My shoulder…? Who told you about that? Well, it's just a scratch, my bones are intact!"

I'm pretty sure it's more than just a scratch, but I'm glad that nothing's broken.

"That's good."

"More importantly, how are you feeling?"

"Me? Well, my muscles are all a bit asleep, but I'm feeling fine. I just want to get out of here."

"Yeah, I hear ya. I hate staying in hospitals too. I'd rather go for a jog or do some boxing instead."

I giggle at his statement. Even though it hasn't been a long time since I met Akihiko-senpai, what he just said is so like him.

We talk for a bit about random stuff.

"But your Persona is really unusual. I mean, in a good way, I think. It did destroy that Shadow like it was nothing."

"I don't really know what it was, either. This was the first time I heard about Persona and Shadows. But when my Persona changed, it was… painful."

Akihiko gives me a weird look.

"Painful? That's strange. Usually the only thing you might feel is loss of energy."

"Yeah… I don't know. There's a lot of things that you guys need to explain."

"I would explain things to you, but I think Mitsuru's better at that."

We talk again for a while and then someone comes into my room.

"Oh, Mitsuru."

"Akihiko? You've been here?"

"Yeah, well I was here for a health checkup, so I thought it'd be nice to pay her a visit."

Yukari then comes in after Mitsuru-senpai.

"What are you saying, senpai? You were the only one home when I got there and as soon as I told you that she regained consciousness you-"

"Like I said! I came here for a health checkup."

Wait, did he come here to just see me…? Well according to Yukari he did…

"Well, if you'll excuse us, Akihiko, I brought her clothes so that she could change."

Mitsuru-senpai hands me the clothes. We then all look at Akihiko-senpai who is still sitting on the chair.

"What…?"

Mitsuru-senpai shoots him one of her glares.

"Get out!"

"Oh…! Sorry! I didn't catch that!"

He then leaves the room. I giggle at how dense he is. I think he's the only one who makes me giggle so much. I hope to get to know him more during my stay at the dorm.

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	6. SEES

**It's been a while! I'm glad I finally wrote this XD**

 **I hope you enjoy it!**

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Chapter 6: SEES

 _Monday: April 20th, 2009_

I wake up, finding myself in a more familiar environment than yesterday's. I guess I'm getting used to my dorm room much faster than I expected. This is the first time I wake up so late here. I'm not going to be late for school, but I don't think I'll be seeing Akihiko this morning.

I get ready and head out. It looks like even Yukari's gone for school. I'll be there right when class starts.

As soon as I arrive, a lot of people look at me weirdly. It's probably because they noticed that I've been gone for a while.

The school day was pretty uneventful. It's still early; I should go around Paulownia mall.

So many things that I really want! I can't afford everything though… I need to find a part-time job or, soon, I won't be able to afford anything at all.

"Fuck this job! I'm never coming back here again!"

Who…? I turn my gaze towards the shouting male voice. He seems to be coming out of Mandragora, the Karaoke bar. He's quitting his job? He seems really furious too. This could be my chance!

"You can't just leave like that! Who's going to take care of bringing the drinks to the customers?"

Another man who looks much older comes running down after the furious ex-employee.

"Do I look like I care? I'm resigning!"

He then leaves the older man who looks a bit exasperated at the whole situation. This is my chance to approach him.

"Excuse me…"

"Huh?"

My voice seems to have snapped him out of his unpleasant train of thought.

"What is it, little girl? I'm a bit busy here."

"Well, I just noticed that you lost an employee?"

"Oh, this guy? Well he's always had a bit of a short temper, but this is the first time he's lost it like that."

"If it's not too much of a bother, I'd like to try working in his position."

The man then turns towards me and looks me up and down. He seems to be hesitating. He scratches his chin and lets out a sigh.

"Ah, what the hell… I do need someone to work immediately. Are you up for it?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Alright, you're employed temporarily. If you do a good job, then I might just keep you permanently."

"I'll do my best!"

I follow the man into the Karaoke bar. He explains to me that all I have to do is bring the drinks and snacks to the customers, while being pleasant to them. Not too hard, I guess. He said that I'll have to learn how to make these drinks myself eventually, when I'm alone or when it's very busy. Considering it's a weekday, we only have a few customers. Well, at least I won't be broke from now on!

After working for a few hours, the person who's supposed to work after me came to replace me. I'm free to go then. It's already dark out. I should head for the dorm right away.

When I get there, I find Yukari sitting on the sofa.

"There you are! I was getting worried."

"I had some stuff to do."

"Glad you're here. Come with me, the others are waiting upstairs."

The others? Yukari takes me to the fourth floor. We enter a room that looks a bit… odd. It's like one of those security rooms I see in movies with a big screen, and a lot of weird buttons. The screen is turned off. I wonder what it's for… If it's like the security rooms, then that means that they have cameras all over the dorm where they can see everything from here. Or maybe I just have a wide imagination.

"There you are."

Mitsuru says in her usual calm tone.

"I'm glad that you're okay. I wasn't sure what I'd do if anything had happened to you. The reason I asked you here is because I needed to talk to you."

This time, the Chairman is the one who addresses me. He's probably talking about how I woke up from my coma.

"How are feeling? I didn't want to wake you up in the morning, since you were kind of exhausted, so I couldn't really see you this morning."

Akihiko waking me up in the morning?! I don't know why, but the thought of it kind of makes my face feel a little warm.

"Akihiko! You can't just go in a lady's bedroom and wake her up!"

The only time Mitsuru isn't her usual composed self is when she talks to Akihiko. How close are they?

"What? I just said that I didn't wake her up!"

Mitsuru sighs.

"Anyway, let's get back to why you're here."

The Chairman speaks up.

"Okay, let me start off by asking you this… Would you believe me if I said that a day consist of more than 24 hours?"

"…Excuse me?"

I was NOT expecting that. What does he mean?

"Do you remember the night you came here? You had to have noticed the signs… The streetlights went out… Nothing was working… There were coffins everywhere… Didn't it feel like you were in a different time? That's the Dark Hour: a time period hidden between one day and the next."

Mitsuru cuts in and tries to explain to me. I still don't get it. I mean, I did notice all those signs, but… It was just too surreal for my brain to process them. The Chairman then continues explaining.

"I guess it's more like something people aren't aware of. But, the Dark Hour does exist. It occurs each night at midnight. It'll happen again tonight, and every night to come."

Akihiko then excitedly joins into the explanation.

"Normal people don't realize it, since they're all sleeping inside their coffins. But, that's not what makes the Dark Hour so interesting. You saw those creatures? We call them "Shadows." They only appear during the Dark Hour, and attack anyone not in a coffin. It's our job to defeat them. Sounds exciting, huh?"

It only sounds confusing and too supernatural for me… I don't know what to think of all this being thrown at me like that.

"Akihiko! Why are you always like that? You just got hurt the other day!"

Mitsuru really gets worked up with Akihiko. It kind of makes me feel a bit… weird. I don't know what I'm feeling right now! This is all just completely crazy!

"Now, now. He does his work well. Long story short: We're the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad - SEES for short. On paper, we're classified as a school club. But in reality, this group is dedicated to defeating the is the leader. I'm the club advisor."

A club…? How come no one ever noticed this then? And the Chairman is the advisor? So, basically, it's an official school club…

"So… That thing I fought was a Shadow. What's its purpose?"

Mitsuru then answers me.

"A Shadow feeds on the mind of it's prey; the victim becomes a living corpse. They're responsible for most of the incidents on the news, if not all of them."

"How do you fight them?"

Do they also have that… Persona thing?

"Although rare, there are those who can function during the Dark Hour. Some may even awaken to a power that enables them to fight the Shadows. That's "Persona": the power you used the other night. The Shadows can only be defeated by Persona-users. Which means, it's all up to you guys."

"I see…"

It's a lot to swallow, but my visit to the Velvet Room was much harder to comprehend.

"I'm glad you're quick to understand."

The Chairman says with a smile. Mitsuru then heads to a drawer. She opens it and extracts a silver gun out of it. It's similar to what I used back then on the roof. She then extends it to me.

"What he's trying to say is, we want you to join us. We've prepared an Evoker for you. We'd like you to lend us your strength."

I reach out for it and take it.

"Alright."

Even though I would usually say no to something that bizarre, I want to join and find out about that Velvet Room, Orpheus, and the Shadows. There's also that kid that made me sign that contract…

Yukari lets out a sigh of relief.

"I was afraid you'd say no. Welcome aboard!"

"Thank you so much. I'm really glad. Oh, I almost forgot… About your room assignment… Why don't you just stay here, in your current room? I don't know what the hold up is, but I guess it worked out in the end."

The Chairman then chuckles after saying that. Somehow, I feel like it was all planned. It wasn't just any hold up that had me end up in this dorm. Well, this dorm is not too bad. Besides, it'll make fighting the Shadows much easier if I stay here.

So now I'm part of the SEES club…

 _"_ _You have established the SEES Social Link of the Fool Arcana."_

Huh…? What's that voice? No one else seems to hear it. Social Link? Is that what Igor was talking about?

 _"_ _The intensity of Social links strengthens the power of the Persona…"_

I feel a surge of power inside me. So… Social Links are the bonds that I form with people? The stronger the bonds, the stronger the power…

After all this, I head back to my room. I feel so exhausted. I should've taken it easy after my hospital stay. But at least, I got a job out of all this. I get ready for bed.

As I start dozing off, I feel a presence. I open my eyes and find that same boy who made me sign that contract!

"Hi, how are you?"

"Who are you?"

And how do you keep appearing randomly like that?!

"We've met before."

He chuckles. He knows that that's not what I meant by my question…

"Soon, the end will come. I remembered, so I thought I should tell you."

"…Thanks."

Remembered? How could he forget something so important? He laughs at my response.

"I wasn't expecting you to thank me. But you're welcome. That… is what I'm supposed to say, right? I don't really know what this "end" is about, either. Oh, looks like you've awakened to your power… and an unusual power it is. A power that takes many forms, yet is bound by none… It may prove to be your salvation, depending on where you end up. Do you remember when we first met? I expect you to honour your commitment. I'll be watching you, even if you forget about me… Okay then, see you later."

He then disappears before I even have the time to say anything. He's so… odd. He has that melancholic look in his eyes. It's as if he's always sad about something. I wonder… who he really is?

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 **Thank you so much for being so patient with me!**

 **Tell me what you think of this chapter in the reviews! :D**


	7. Tartarus

**I know it took me forever to write this... I wanted to make it even longer, but then I would've had to post it in like three days, because I wouldn't have time to write more today or tomorrow. I hope you guys still enjoy this!**

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Chapter 7: Tartarus

 _Tuesday: April 21st, 2009_

I wake up late again today. These weird dreams I'm having really drain me. I don't even know if they're just dreams or… I shouldn't dwell on these things or I'll just end up going insane! I have to hurry up and get ready for school.

I stretch my arms and yawn. Classes are finally over for today. I hear another yawn from behind me and I realize that it's Yukari.

"I thought I was going to fall asleep in there…"

Right when I'm about to answer her, Mitsuru walks into our class and heads straight towards us.

"Can I have a minute? Come to the command room when you get back to the dorm. I have something to tell everyone. I'll save the details for later. See you there."

She doesn't even give us a chance to say anything and leaves.

"That was fast…"

When I say that, Yukari just shrugs.

"She's probably busy with things like Student Council, unlike us."

Junpei then appears from behind Yukari.

"Whoa, Yuka-tan! Do I sense some hostility?"

Yukari looks a bit flustered at Junpei's comment.

"Well, it's not that I don't like her… She's just… N-Never mind! Let's go!"

I follow Yukari out of school and we head to Iwatodai Strip Mall.

"A-About earlier… It's not that I don't like her or anything, y'know? Oh, I'm talking about Mitsuru-senpai… Why's Junpei always have to talk about stuff that isn't any of his business, huh!? Plus, he says it all in the creepiest, most perverted way. He's like the poster boy for sexual harassment. You know, last year he…"

While Yukari is talking, I look at the time on my cellphone. It's almost time for me to go to work. Good thing we're already in the mall. I should tell her that I have to go soon.

"Yukari-chan, I have to go soon."

"Oh… What's up? You're not heading back to the dorm with me?"

"No, I have to go somewhere. I'll be at the dorm at like 9:30PM."

"If you say so… Then I'll go ahead."

When Yukari leaves, I head to Mandragora. I would've told her that I had to go to work, but then I would have to explain way too many things to her.

When I enter the Karaoke Bar, the man at the counter greets me.

"Welcome. Room for one?"

"No, I'm actually the new part-timer here."

"Oh! Aren't you a bit young?"

He doesn't seem that much older than me either… I'd say he's just barely twenty-one. I shrug at his remark.

"Whatever… As long as someone is here to take over my shift. I'm going."

Wait… Am I supposed to take care of things here on my own? I don't know how to make any of the drinks!

I go behind the counter and find a note there.

 _To the new girl,_

 _No one's available today, so you're on your own. The recipes for the drinks are in the back. Hard to miss._

So… I am on my own! Alright… No use panicking. I need to first go find the recipes.

I go to the back, and find a table, a fridge, and a bunch of stacked papers. There are also a lot of compartments that are labelled by numbers. I take the stack of paper and go back to the front desk. I start reading through the recipes, while greeting the few customers that show up. Good thing it's a weekday… not as busy as weekends. I only make a few drinks, considering almost no one drinks this early. They're not too complicated, since the instructions are actually pretty clear, telling me which cupboards have the necessary ingredients.

At 9PM sharp, the person who's supposed to work the night shift comes and greets me. This time it's an older looking man.

"You can go now, girly. I'll take it from here. You new?"

"Yeah, thank you."

I leave and head to the dorm. As soon as I get to command room, I find Mitsuru, Akihiko, Yukari, and… Junpei?!

"Welcome back."

Mitsuru says to me. Akihiko then looks at me.

"What took you so long? I was getting a bit worked up."

"Anyway, I'm sure you know who this young man is, so let's skip the introductions."

Mitsuru points casually at Junpei.

"Why is Junpei-kun here?"

I'm genuinely confused about why he's here… Yukari seems a bit exasperated at the whole situation. I bet they already explained everything to her before i came back. Akihiko then clears his throat.

"I bumped into him the other night. He has the potential, but he just awakened to it recently… I told him about us, and he agreed to help."

"The potential…?"

Does this mean that he can also summon a Persona? Junpei chuckled.

"He found me cryin' like a baby at the convenience store, surrounded by a bunch of coffins. I don't remember much, but man… that was embarrassing! He said that's, ya know, completely normal… in the beginning. Like, bein' confused and not remembering anything. Did ya guys know that?"

The confused part, I felt it. But, the forgetting part…

"I actually remember everything that happened the first time I went through that…"

Everyone pauses a bit and then Junpei starts talking again.

"Oh, you're so special now, aren't ya? ...But man, I was shocked to find out about you guys. I had no idea. I'm glad I'm not the only one. It could get kinda lonely, ya know. I bet you're stoked too, right!? Havin' me join… It'd be nice to have a guy around too, wouldn't it?"

I was about to say that we had Akihiko around, and that that was enough for me, but I stopped myself. It would've sounded weird if I did say that…

Yukari sighs.

"So anyway, glad to join the team."

I then nod at Junpei.

"Let's do our best."

"You can count on good ol' Junpei!"

Akihiko then speaks up.

"Well, enough with the introductions. I think we're about ready…"

The door to the command room then opens, and the Chairman comes in.

"Okay, everybody's here. I'd like your undivided attention. For a long time, Mitsuru and Akihiko were the only Persona-users we had. But that number recently jumped to five. Therefore, starting tonight at 12:00AM, I'd like to commence the exploration of Tartarus."

Junpei scratches his goatee.

"Tartarus...? What's that? Sounds like toothpaste."

"You haven't seen it, Junpei?"

Yukari replies to his remark. The Chairman then proceeds to explain.

"It's no surprise… since it only appears during the Dark Hour."

"Just like the Shadows… Interesting, huh? And it's the perfect place for us to train. You can think of it as a Shadow nest."

Akihiko sounds so enthusiastic about this.

"But… what about you injury, Akihiko-senpai?"

I ask him, worried about his well-being. He looks at me and his shoulders sink in defeat. Mitsuru then doesn't let that opportunity go.

"Since Akihiko hasn't fully recovered yet, he'll only come as far as the entrance."

Akihiko looks annoyed. He really wanted to go didn't he…

"It's almost time for the Dark Hour, let's go."

Mitsuru says in an authoritative tone.

We all then head to where Tartarus is. Wait, isn't that the road to the school?

When we reach Gekkoukan High school.

"This is it? THIS is the place? Why HERE?"

Junpei is in disbelief. To be honest, so am I. I'm more confused, though. Akihiko chuckles at our confusion.

"Just wait a few minutes… It's almost midnight."

Sure enough, right in front of our eyes, when the clock strikes midnight, the school building gets enveloped in mist. When the mist clears, a giant distorted tower is standing in the place of Gekkoukan High.

"This is Tartarus: the labyrinth that reveals itself during the Dark Hour."

Mitsuru's explanation doesn't erase the shock I'm feeling from the sight that I'm beholding.

"Labyrinth…? What are you talking about!? What happened to our school!?"

Junpei just asked all the questions that I'm internally asking myself.

"Once the Dark Hour passes, everything returns to normal."

Mitsuru simply replies. That doesn't answer anything, though!

"This is the "nest" you were talking about!? But, why!? Why'd our school turn into a giant tower!?"

Again, Junpei's ahead of me when it comes to expressing his questions vocally. Mitsuru, however, stays silent.

"You don't know, either?"

Junpei asks her, wondering about her silence.

"…No."

"I'm sure it's complicated."

Yukari says. Do I detect a hint of sarcasm in her voice or am I just imagining things? Akihiko's voice then snaps me out of my thoughts.

"Well, maybe now we'll find out. Mitsuru and I have only gone in to take a peek; this will be our first time exploring it. Exciting, isn't it? There has to be some sort of clue in here about the Dark Hour…"

"Akihiko. I respect your enthusiasm, but you won't be accompanying us today."

Mitsuru never fails to deflate Akihiko's bubble.

"I know… You don't have to remind me."

We then all enter the tower. The inside is almost like it's a different realm. In front of us is a giant staircase leading to an entrance.

"Whoa… It's just as cool on the inside…"

Junpei exclaims.

"But, it sure is creepy…"

Yukari mumbles.

"This is only the entrance. The labyrinth lies beyond the doorway at the top of the stairs."

Mitsuru points at the top of the staircase. Akihiko then comes and stands next to me.

"To tell you the truth… I'm a little worried about letting you go there alone. But, we'll have you three get a feel for this place."

Yukari then, after hearing that, gets worked up.

"What!? By ourselves!?"

Mitsuru then tries to calm her.

"We're not asking you to go very far, and I'll be feeding you information from here."

"We're also going to appoint a leader to make any necessary decisions."

Akihiko says while walking ahead and then turning to face us. A leader, huh…

"For real? One of us? Oh! Oh! Me me me! Pick me!"

Junpei enthusiastically raises his hand. I look at Akihiko and find him staring right at me.

"You… You're in charge."

His voice is trembling a bit. He's more worried than he shows.

"Wha…? B-But she's a girl!"

Junpei protests. I am a bit worried about taking the role of leader, but not because I'm a girl. At least, I'm the most experienced in terms of fighting Shadows. Yukari confirms that point to Junpei.

"Well, she HAS fought them before…"

"Seriously?"

Junpei looks at me with wide eyes. I nod.

"That's true, but there's another reason. You two… Can you summon your Persona without any difficulties, like she can?"

Akihiko glares at Junpei. I feel like he's taking my side on this, even though he's just being reasonable. I can't help but smile internally.

"Y-Yeah, of course I can!"

Junpei tries to withstand Akihiko's glare.

"I think so…"

Yukari mumbles. I hope they can, since it'll be much more helpful in there if they did. They can't go in there all defenceless.

"These are Shadows we're talking about here. Without your Persona, you're screwed."

Akihiko says in a serious tone.

"I'm aware of that."

Yukari responds to him.

"Alright, you guys ready to head inside?"

"I think we are."

I say to him. He nods at me and goes to stand next to Mitsuru who's already started setting up the communication devices. When I turn to the staircase, I feel a weird warmth in my skirt pocket. I reach in there and pull out the Velvet Key that's shining. It seems like I'm the only one who's seeing that, since no one even comments on the strange glow. I then turn my head to my left and find a door that wasn't there before. It's a blue door. Is that… the Velvet Room door? I walk towards it, ignoring everyone's voices asking me where I'm heading. They probably can't see the door either.

When I reach the door, I insert the Key in the door's lock. It's like the lock is sucking the Key in. As soon as it fully sinks in the lock, the door opens on its own. I enter and find myself in the familiar blue room from my dream. Igor is sitting on a chair, and motions for me to sit on the chair facing him. I do as he wishes and, when I do, he starts talking to me.

"I've been waiting for you. The time has come for you to wield your power. The tower that you are about to venture into… How did it come to be? For what purpose does it exist? Regrettably, you are not yet capable of answering these questions. That is why you must be made aware of the nature of your power."

"The nature of my power?"

"Your power is unique. It's like the number zero… It's empty, but at the same time holds infinite possibilities. You are able to possess multiple Personas and summon them as needed. And when you have defeated your enemies, you will see the faces of possibility before you. There may be times when they are difficult to grasp… But, do not fear. Seize what you have earned. Your power will grow accordingly… Be sure to keep that in mind. My spare time will soon be scarce. But, please come again of your own accord. I'll tell you then about my true role… the manner in which I can best assist you. Ah, but before I forget… Do you recall when I mentioned another resident of this room…? Tell me… When you think of this person, what do you see?"

What do I think? I don't know… What is he getting at? I've never met him… Him? Why did I decide that the resident is a male? Is that what Igor is talking about?

"Is it… a man?"

"I see… Then let's bring him out for a proper introduction."

I then feel a presence behind me. I turn my head around and find a man with white hair, pale skin, and golden eyes. He's wearing a blue outfit that makes him look like an elegant butler. The man walks and stands beside Igor. He then looks at me.

"My name is Theodore, but please, feel free to call me Theo. It's a pleasure to meet you."

He has an air of elegance about him when he talks and when walks.

"My assistant will aid you as well. Until then… Farewell."

After Igor says that, I find myself back to the entrance of Tartarus, standing in front of the Velvet Room's Door, the key back in my hand. I put it back in my pocket.

"Hey, are you alright?"

Yukari's voice is the first thing I hear when I get back.

"Yeah, what's up? You look like a zombie."

I look at Junpei.

"Really? A zombie?"

I touch my face. I feel normal, why would he say that?

"That's what you pick to dwell on!? Oh, I get it. You're trying to yank my chain here. Don't worry, though! I got you covered whenever you need it!"

I don't really get what Junpei's on about… They really can't see the door.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. C'mon, let's go."

Yukari drags us to the staircase. We climb it and go inside. Around us, there are walls and different branching paths. This really is a labyrinth… The floor looks like it's made of black and white ceramic tiles. There were occasional circular decorative patterned tiles. The eerie greenish glow was more prominent here than outside.

"So, this is it, huh…?"

Junpei's voice echoes.

"I hope I don't get lost…"

Yukari voices her worries. A static sound comes from our headsets.

"Can you all hear me?"

It's Mitsuru.

"Whoa! Is that you, senpai?"

Junpei jumps at the unexpected voice in his ear.

"I'll be providing audio backup from here on out."

"Wait… Ya mean, you can see inside here?"

Junpei says, astonished by how that is possible.

"It's my Persona's ability. I'd like to join you, but the structure of Tartarus changes from day to day. That's why outside support is imperative."

Well that's not convenient at all… It's as if all progress of exploration we do one day, is completely useless the second day.

"Well, THAT makes me feel a whole lot better…"

Yukari is definitely sarcastic this time. Is it at Mitsuru or at the fact that the layout of Tartarus changes every day?

"Now, based on your current location, you can expect to encounter enemies at any minute. They shouldn't be too tough, but proceed with caution. Practice makes perfect."

"Right!"

Junpei exclaims enthusiastically. The static then cuts off.

"Why is she always like that…?"

Yukari mutters under her breath. I don't think anyone other than me heard that. There's something definitely going on between those two.

"Alright everyone, follow me."

It's time to explore this tower.

* * *

 **I hate cutting it there... I wanted to write more :(**

 **Tell me what you guys think about this in the reviews. Thanks for reading, you're the best :)**


	8. Multiple Personas

**Shorter chapter this time. But now that I'm done with classes, I'll have more time to write and update!**

 **I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 8: Multiple Personas

It doesn't take us long before we spot a group of Shadows.

"Be careful."

Mitsuru's voice sounds in my head. We should be careful not to alert them of our presence. I slowly approach them, motioning for Yukari and Junpei to quietly follow. When we're close enough, I give them the signal to attack.

Junpei's sword slashes through one of them, succeeding is destroying it, while Yukari shoots another with her arrow. I use my evoker to summon Orpheus, who takes care of the remaining Shadows.

"Well done."

Mitsuru says after all the Shadows were destroyed. Another sound then echoes in my mind. This time, it's from within my head, not from the earpiece. It's like the sound of breaking glass. I then see a beautiful woman in white clothing. She has blue hair and skin of the same colour, but lighter.

 _'_ _My name is Apsaras. Your heart called out to me. From now on, I will fight by your side.'_

She then vanishes, but I still feel her inside of my soul. Another Persona? I then hear Orpheus' voice as well.

 _'_ _I have learned the spell Agi. As your spirit gets stronger, so do I, as well, get stronger.'_

Somehow I know what Agi is. It's a fire spell. I should go back to the Velvet Room and ask Igor about this.

After exploring the first floor thoroughly, we find the stairs leading to the second.

"Come back to the entrance now. That's enough for today."

We then retrace our steps back to the entrance. I was starting to get a bit tired. It seems Tartarus drains me quite fast. Mitsuru then walks up to us.

"Welcome back. How was it?"

"No problem."

I respond. It really wasn't. The Shadows were all pretty weak, and Orpheus just kept getting stronger with each fight. As for Apsaras, I want to ask Igor about her before fighting with her. Mitsuru smiles calmly at my response.

"I see. Well if you gained confidence, that's the best thing you could have achieved."

"Wow… I never knew I had that kinda power! But damn, I'm beat…"

Junpei sighs in exhaustion. I think we all are tired.

"That's cuz you were bouncin' around like a little kid."

Yukari still has to take every little chance to tease Junpei.

"You look pretty tired yourself, Yuka-tan."

"I'm still trying to catch my breath, actually…"

At least she admits that she's also tired.

"That's the effect of the Dark Hour; you'll become fatigued more easily. Don't worry, though, you'll adapt. But, I'm surprised... You all did much better than I expected. At this rate, they'll catch up to you in no time, Akihiko."

Mitsuru explains. Akihiko then also walks up to us and chuckles.

"Heh, we'll see about that."

"Anyway, let's head home."

Mitsuru says. I still need to ask Igor about Apsaras, though.

"Actually, I just need to go check something, it won't take long."

Before any of them could say anything or object, I run up to the Velvet Room's door and insert the key. I then run right into it. I find myself in the blue room, right in front of Igor. I take a seat, as usual.

"Ah, you're here. I'd say that I didn't expect you back so early, but that would be a lie. You just went into Tartarus for the first time, right?"

"Yes, that's right. I actually wanted to ask you about Apsaras."

"So that's it. I was sensing an additional presence from within you. I see that you didn't waste time in acquiring a new Persona."

So I was right… Apsaras is another Persona.

"Each Persona has a unique set of powers. The stronger you get, the stronger Persona you will discover. I guess now is a good time as any to tell you about fusion."

"Fusion?"

"Theo here will explain it to you, since it will be his duty to assist you with Persona fusions."

I turn my gaze towards Theo, who looks as handsome as last time I saw him.

"Very well. Persona fusions are quite easy to understand. Right now, you only have access to basic fusions. This means that, when you have two Persona, you can fuse them together in order to create a new, usually more powerful, Persona. The Persona that results from the fusion will inherit some of the skills of the Persona you used in the fusion. Also, depending on your Social Links, they might get more power from the strength of your spirit. For example, right now you have Apsaras and Orpheus. You can try fusing them together, if you wish."

Fusing two Personas? That might be interesting… I wonder what kind of new Persona I'll get from Apsaras and Orpheus.

"Let's try it out!"

"Alright then."

Theo then takes out two blue cards and says some incantations. After a bit, the two cards become one. The card then transforms into a female figure with wings. Her blonde hair flows down her bare shoulders.

 _'_ _My name is Angel. I will be by your side.'_

She then vanishes into me. I can clearly see all of her powers and weaknesses. She is definitely more powerful than Apsaras and Orpheus. She inherited Agi and Bufu. Bufu was Apsaras' ice spell. Angel also has two abilities of her own. Garu, a wind spell, and Patra, which dispels any negative ailments.

After thanking Igor and Theo for their help, I leave the Velvet Room and find myself face to face with Akihiko, Mitsuru, Junpei, and Yukari. They're all looking at me weirdly. Oh yeah… They can't see the Velvet Room's door.

"Let's head back?"

I say to them with a smile, trying to snap them out of it. We all then head back to the dorm. As soon as I reach my room, I collapse on my bed, exhausted from everything that happened today.

 _Wednesday:_ _April 22nd, 2009_

It was a dreamless night.

I wake up and get ready for school. I still feel tired from yesterday, but I woke up pretty early.

I go downstairs, and find Akihiko sitting in the lounge, eating a protein bar. I noticed that he really loves that stuff.

"Good morning, Akihiko-senpai."

"Ah! You're already awake? I didn't think you'd be able to after going to Tartarus for the first time."

I go sit on the same couch as him, but at the opposite end. I feel a bit shy getting any closer. I still look him straight in the eyes when I talk to him, though. He also does the same.

"I'm actually still really tired, but I figured I'd just wake up, since it's almost time to go to school."

"By the way…"

Akihiko finishes his protein bar and gives me a serious look.

"What happened last night?"

I cock my head to the side.

"What do you mean?"

"When you suddenly ran off after coming back from Tartarus. We all followed you to find you staring back at us."

"Oh…"

So I guess the time I spend in the Velvet Room is different from the time here. It's like the time flow is not the same. Like it's much faster in the Velvet Room.

"Would you even believe me if I told you?"

Akihiko then scratches the back of his head.

"Well… you wouldn't lie, would you?"

I shake my head. Of course I wouldn't lie about this.

"Then yes. I'll believe you."

I take a deep breath, preparing to tell him about the Velvet Room. I also want to tell him about all the weird things that are happening. Like the strange boy… The Social Links… The fusion ritual. So many things I want to tell him. I'll just start with the Velvet Room for today. I tell him about how one night I dreamt of it, and how I had the key to the room. I also tell him about the door at Tartarus' entrance. The whole time, he looks at me, attentive, nodding every once in a while, indicating to me that he's listening.

After I finished my explanation, I take another deep breath. I then look at my watch. Good, we're still early.

"It's pretty hard to believe, I'll give you that…"

I look at Akihiko. He's frowning, deep in thought. He then looks at me and gives me a cocky smile.

"But everything we do is pretty hard to believe."

I giggle. He's right. Nobody would ever believe us.

"Well, let's get going. I'll spare you the morning jog for today, since you're exhausted from yesterday. Won't make a habit out of it though!"

"Right!"

We then both go on our way to school.

* * *

 **Tell me what you guys think in the reviews!**


	9. Fangirls and Weapons

**I finally wrote it :D**

 **With my new job I've been really busy, since now I have two jobs to fit in my schedule...**

 **I'll do my best to keep updating, though!**

 **I hope you enjoy :D**

* * *

Chapter 9: Fangirls and Weapons

"…That concludes the main portion of today's assembly. Next, we'll hear a word from the Student Council. Please welcome the new President, Mitsuru Kirijo from Class 3-D."

Everyone is gathered in the assembly hall. I yawn, still a bit tired from yesterday, especially that up until now the assembly has been pretty boring. Mitsuru goes up to the centre of the stage, positioning herself in front of the mic. Yukari, who's sitting next to me, sighs.

"So, she did get elected. Well… I guess she IS the most popular girl in school."

She says it with a bit of bitterness. I really do wonder what happened between these two.

"You can say that again! There's like some kinda aura around her… Besides, this school's owned by the Kirijo Group, right?"

Junpei on the other hand, sounds much more impressed. Mitsuru clears her throat and begins her speech.

"As I begin my term as Student Council President, I'd like to share with you my vision for this coming year. It is my firm belief that each of us must accept the responsibility of bettering our school. However, change cannot occur without sustained effort and an unprecedented level of commitment. That is why we must restructure our daily lives to accommodate this lofty goal. I'd like each of you to dig deeply into your well of motivation, and re-evaluate your convictions… To imagine a bold new future without losing sight of the realities around you. That is the key. I am certain that many of you have your own visions of the future… For us to reap the full benefits of our education, your participation, ideas, and enthusiasm are essential. Thank you."

…Yeah, she's definitely on a different level.

"Dang… That was freakin' amazing… Hey, did you understand what she was talking about?"

Junpei turns to me when he asks the question.

"My attention span couldn't keep up."

"So you're basically saying that you didn't pay attention."

I nod. That certainly did sound like a strong and powerful speech, but I didn't get a word of it.

"Sure didn't sound like somethin' a high schooler would say… If it was anyone else, we'd be laughin' our asses off."

I nod again at Junpei. It's impressive how Mitsuru could pull that off. Everyone in the room was quiet during her speech.

After that, we attend our afternoon classes.

School's finally over. I have the day off work today, so I should start heading back home.

"Hey! You going back to the dorm?"

Junpei catches up to me at the lockers.

"Yup."

"Let's head back together."

"Sure."

As soon as we get out of the school, we see a bunch of girls grouping up close to the front gate. What's all this about?

"Look! It's Akihiko-senpai!"

Akihiko? I get a bit closer to the crowd. No mistake about it: it is Akihiko. All these girls seem a bit… too close. It's annoying me a bit. Akihiko tries to walk away from them, but they follow him and block his way.

"Wait for us!"

And then the giggling and the squealing ensues.

"Man, would you look at that? I hear they're always swarming Akihiko-senpai like that. I know he's the captain of the boxing team, but… I mean, come on! You don't even see girls flock like that on TV!"

So Akihiko is really that popular, isn't he? Even Junpei seems to envy him. It doesn't seem like Akihiko is enjoying the attention, though. I get even closer, causing some of the girls to give me annoyed glances.

"Hey! Are you guys free this afternoon?"

Akihiko looks directly into my eyes, with a pleading look saying "please get me out of here." I should play along.

"Yeah, we are! Right Junpei?"

"Huh? Who, us!? I… guess so…?"

"Let's go to Paulownia Mall, now."

I can hear the urgency in his voice.

"…Uh, are your friends gonna come along, too?"

Really, Junpei…?

"Who, these girls? I don't even know their names. They talk so much they give me a headache. Anyway, let's go!"

Without any further ado, Akihiko grabs my wrist and drags me away from the girls. I hear them protest and whine, but I don't even bother looking back. My eyes are fixated on Akihiko's gloved hands that have a firm grip on my wrist. Even thought the gloves are in the way, I still feel a strange warmth emanating from his hand.

"Man, how can he not know their names!? I mean, seriously! Just look at them! Well, I guess we gotta go… Sheesh, talk about putting a damper on a guy's afternoon."

Even Junpei's whining feels distant, even though I'm pretty sure he's following close behind. When we get to the station, Akihiko lets go of my wrist. The warmth lingers a bit, but then it suddenly feels cold. It's almost as if I'm a bit disappointed that he let go.

"Sorry for dragging you like that."

"It's alright; you had a good reason to do it."

Junpei comes up between us.

"Why do you want to go to Paulownia Mall all of a sudden?"

"Well, one of the reasons was to get away from those crazy girls. The main reason, though, is that I want to bring you guys to the police station."

"Police station?"

Junpei exclaims. It is quite odd. What are we going to do at the police station?

"You'll see when we get there."

After the train ride, we walk for a short bit until we reach Paulownia Mall. Akihiko then leads us inside the police station, where the officer there greets us.

"Officer Kurosawa."

Akihiko also greets him. Do these two know each other?

"These are the two new recruits I told you about before."

"…"

I see the officer is a man of few words.

"This is Officer Kurosawa. He helps keep our squad well-equipped."

Akihiko explains to us. So we can basically get weapons here, among other things.

"You can't fight empty-handed, so find something you like. Officer Kurosawa has connections… But, these things still cost money."

"Of course they do. Nothing in life is free."

The officer says in a flat tone.

"I've been informed about you two. My job is to maintain peace in this city, regardless of the circumstances. I'm just an ordinary police officer, but it doesn't take a genius to know something strange is going on here. I'm only doing what I think is right."

Having someone so reliable on our side makes me feel more at ease. At least now I won't go defenceless to Tartarus.

After buying a new naginata, I head home with Junpei and Akihiko.

* * *

 **I know this one was a bit short...**

 **Review and tell me what you think!**


	10. The Magician Arcana

**I'm updating much faster now! Reason being that, at my new job, I'm in front of a computer for eight hours, five days a week XD So when I have free time, I write! Let's hope I don't get caught...**

 **Well, I hope you guys enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 10: The Magician Arcana

 _Thursday: April 23rd, 2009_

Last night we all went to Tartarus to try out our new weapons. Needless to say, I'm extremely exhausted today… I wake up later than usual. Of course, Akihiko is already gone by now. He really doesn't like to miss his morning jogs. As a result, I end up just going straight to school.

The lecture is just really boring me… My mind starts to wander to yesterday's events. We went through the Tartarus labyrinth, like the first day, but we went beyond the first floor. The higher we went, the stronger the monsters. I was able to find two new Personas: Pixie and Angel. I feel so much stronger with all these Personas. We were also able to find a waypoint that allows us to go back to that same spot without having to go through the previous floors. Mitsuru said that she felt a really strong Shadow a few floors higher. Since none of us had enough energy to go against a powerful foe, we decided to call it a night and go back when we were well-rested.

The day ends, and I start packing my bag, getting ready to go home.

"Hey, you going home?"

I turn around and see Junpei carrying his bag, also ready to leave.

"Yeah, that's what I was planning on doing."

"Oh, well… um… if you're not too busy, do you wanna hang out for a bit?"

I look at him, a bit surprised to be asked to hang out. Usually he asks me to go home together, since we both live at the dorm.

"Sure. Where do you want to go?"

It'll be good to spend some time with Junpei. He's my teammate, after all.

"Well, there's this ramen place that's wicked awesome."

"Great! I love ramen!"

"Alright! Let's go then!"

We head down to Iwatodai strip mall. I've never actually been here before. I follow Junpei who seem to know his way, unlike me. He then takes me to a ramen shop called Hagakure Ramen. I look at the shop and find people actually lining up to eat here.

"It's a really popular place, isn't it?"

"Well there's a reason it's so popular: the ramen here is the best!"

We wait for a bit, while Junpei talks about how awesome this place is. Finally, we get in and go sit at the counter.

"I'm stoked! We'll have two specials, sir!"

Junpei's so excited. He really likes this place, doesn't he?

"Comin' right up!"

While our ramen gets made, I take the chance to ask Junpei about the ramen he ordered for us.

"You ordered the special?"

"The normal meals are good, too, but the special… Pure awesomeness."

I giggle at his description. The meal arrives, its fragrant scent filling our nostrils. This is making me really hungry.

"Let's dig in!"

After having said that, Junpei starts slurping the hot noodles. Seeing him makes me almost drool. I hurriedly pick up my chopsticks and take the first bite. This is… amazing! The thick al dente ramen noodles mix so well with the light refreshing broth.

"This is way too good!"

I say to Junpei, my mouth full of ramen.

"Haha! Delicious, ain't it? We should come here more often."

I nod and we both enjoy our food. We start casually talking together.

"Hey, by the way, are you feeling okay now?"

I swallow the food in my mouth to answer him.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I heard that while you were out for a while, you were in the hospital. You seemed full of energy at school, but… I was still kind of worried."

That's unusual. I mean, I would've never expected Junpei to be that considerate. It shows that I still don't know much about him.

"I'm feeling much better, thanks for asking."

I give him a sincere smile.

"Huh? Oh, um... No need to thank me... I had some problems myself when I transferred here, too. In your case, you've got all the fighting stuff on top of that... I was wondering if you weren't accustomed to school or whatever... Then again, I think you'll do just fine."

He's stuttering a lot. Junpei is probably a bit embarrassed to have said so much. He laughs nervously. He's actually a really thoughtful guy…

 _"Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Magician Arcana..."_

It's the same voice as the time where I established the Social Link with the SEES… So… The Social Link related to Junpei is the Magician Arcana. According to what Igor said that, based on the strength of the Link, it will strengthen any fusion resulting in the Arcana that has a Social Link established. Does this mean that, if I spend more time with Junpei, it'll make the Social Link stronger? I'll just have to let things happen and see where it brings me.

"Still… Girls and guys livin' in the same dorm, huh? That can't be good."

Junpei's remark snaps me out of my thoughts.

"Look at you smirking like that. Even if you say it isn't good, you're probably ecstatic about it."

I chuckle while teasing him.

"Aww… I can't help it. Oh, but I don't drag love into my work. Then again, I can't guarantee that I won't fall for somebody, mwahaha!"

We laugh together at what he said. Falling in love, huh… I've never really given it much thought. I've never actually fallen in love before. It's probably because nobody ever made me feel like it was worth my time. I've always been kind of busy with my own life. I wonder if I'll ever actually fall in love. And if I do, then with whom will it be? If it's someone who doesn't know anything about Tartarus, it'll be really hard to make time for him or to even be able to maintain a healthy relationship. I'd have to hide things from him and keep secrets, since he wouldn't believe me anyway. But then, if it's someone from our little group… Junpei? No, I see him more as a friend than anything else. The only other guy is… Akihiko. My heart squeezes a bit when I start thinking romantically of Akihiko. No! What am I doing? I must be really tired if I'm having thoughts like that…

Junpei and I finally finish up our meal and head back to the dorm.

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 **It's a slightly shorter chapter than the others, but I'll be updating soon (probably next week) so I hope that makes up for it a bit XD**

 **Review and tell me what you think!**


	11. The Chariot Arcana

**And here I go! This chapter is longer than last one :D I'm pretty satisfied with it, and I hope you enjoy it too!**

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Chapter 11: The Chariot Arcana

 _Friday: April 24th, 2009_

I think I'll go join one of the sports clubs today. Junpei told me that the only clubs that are taking members at this time of the year are sports clubs, and not even all sports clubs. I have to choose between the Swimming Club, the Kendo Club, and the Tennis Club. I guess I'll just go for the Tennis Club, since I've done some Tennis in the past.

Today hasn't exactly been memorable. I just got up, went to school alone, and sat through the classes. I'm glad that's over. I'll go register at the club and then kill some time before I need to go work. Sounds like a plan.

I go through an outdoor hallway to get to the other building. On my way there, I notice a small tree. It must've been planted recently. Anyway, I should get to the Tennis Club. When I arrive at the courts, I spot a teacher sitting on the bleachers, looking at her watch every now and then while yawning. I've seen her before. It's Ms. Kanou. She doesn't teach my class in particular, but Junpei has been saying how she's the hottest teacher ever. I can't deny that she's pretty.

I approach her to ask her about the club.

"Hi, Ms. Kanou?"

Her attention shifts towards me and she gives me a smile.

"Hello there, can I help you?"

"Well, I was wondering about the Tennis Club."

"You want to join?"

"Yes, actually."

"Alright I'll register you. Right now we've just started the session. Would you like to practice with them today? I can introduce you while we're at it."

Starting right off the bat? That's not what I expected. But I did say that I had some time to kill, so I guess this is one way to spend my time. Ms. Kanou takes a notebook and starts writing my name in it. I go to my locker and change into my gym uniform. When I get back to the courts, Ms. Kanou immediately starts introducing me. The members' attention shifts to me.

"So, you all have a new teammate. She's from class 2-F. Everybody be nice to her, okay?"

I should say something.

"Nice to meet you all."

"Nice to meet you too!"

They all seem so friendly. I feel pretty welcomed here. It looks like it's going to be a fun year together. Ms. Kanou clears her throat, getting everyone's attention.

"Um, who was the leader for the juniors?"

"That would be me."

A serious-looking girl with long black hair tied in a ponytail comes forward. I did say they all looked friendly, but this one doesn't. She doesn't look like a bad person either, just a bit of a no bullshit aura emanates from her.

"Oh, good. I'll leave the rest to you. I don't really know what I'm supposed to do here anyway."

"…All right."

She giggles and leaves the courts. I guess she feels like her job for the day is done. The leader doesn't look too happy about it, though. She's slightly frowning.

"I don't really know anything! Tee-hee!"

A short-haired girl mimics Ms. Kanou in a mocking way.

"Haa! That sounds exactly like her. She's too old to try to act cute like that."

A tanned girl replies. Ms. Kanou doesn't seem to be very popular among the girls. I guess the fact that she's getting all of the boys' attention would create jealousy.

"...C'mon, let's get back to practice!"

Leader says to everyone, not looking too happy about their little gossip. She then turns to me.

"I'm Rio Iwasaki, a junior like you."

Even though she looks the least friendly out of everyone, she seems to be the most honest one.

"Nice to meet you. So you're the leader, right?"

"I'm in charge of the juniors in the club, so don't hesitate to ask me anything. This club meets on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. We don't meet for a few days before exams, so keep that in mind."

"Yes ma'am, I'll keep it in mind."

I giggle and smile. She gives a small smile too.

"Well then, we're going to concentrate on doing basic exercises today, so come on and join in. Just keep up as much as you can."

I nod. She's a pretty thoughtful person once you get past her stoic expression.

"The basics again...?"

One of the members starts whining.

"I keep telling you all that the fundamentals are important! Let's start off with some running."

Rio says with an authoritative tone. I guess that's why she's the leader.

"Alright…"

All of the members reply while sighing. Rio then comes up to me and explains a bit more to me.

"You stand in this line. If you start getting worn out, just keep your mind focused and you'll be able to pull through."

"I'll be alright."

This is nothing compared to what I have to go through in Tartarus. She gives me a satisfied expression.

"Ahaha, you sound promising."

As I start running, the same voice from yesterday talks to me again.

 _"Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Chariot Arcana..."_

The Chariot Arcana… I feel like I should go see Theo and fuse some of my persona now. Maybe I'll end up with something powerful.

"Well, let's go. Front row, start us off!"

Rio's voice breaks through my thoughts. She really seems to be taking her role seriously. After the running, we do some muscle exercises then a few hitting and receiving drills.

I feel energized after this workout. I take a shower in the lockers and then head to work.

It was a normal day at work. Nothing special happened, just the regular customers, since it's a weekday. When I get home, I find Mitsuru and Akihiko in the lounge, talking. They seem… close. It kind of sends a little sting in my heart. Is there something going between them?

"There you are."

Mitsuru says as she sees me. Akihiko smiles at me. It's been a while since we spent time together.

"We were thinking of going to Tartarus tonight. Are you up for it?"

Mitsuru asks me. I nod.

"Yeah, let's go."

Junpei and Yukari get ready as well and we all wait for the Dark Hour.

Finally, we get to the entrance of Tartarus. When we do, I excuse myself for a bit to go to the Velvet Room.

"Welcome."

Igor's voice greets me as I enter. I take a seat in front of him and tell him about the purpose of my visit.

"I was thinking of trying out a few fusions.

"Of course, my dear. Theodore here will be glad to help you."

Theodore then gives me a polite bow and a controlled smile, just like a server at a prestigious restaurant would do.

"Just tell me which Persona you would like to fuse and I'll tell you what the possible outcome will be."

Seems simple enough… Now which Persona should I use? I don't feel like I want to let go of my Orpheus just yet. So I guess it'll be between Apsaras, Pixie, and Angel.

"I think I'll go with Apsaras and Pixie."

"Apsaras and Pixie, you say? The outcome of such a fusion will be Nekomata, a Persona belonging to the Magician's Arcana. Some of its abilities are Agi and Cleave. With this fusion, it will obtain Dia, from Pixie, and Bufu from Apsaras."

He then goes on about its strengths and weaknesses. Finally, he tells me that, since I established the Magician's Social Link, Nekomata will gain more strength from this fusion. I agree to the fusion and Theo starts reciting a ritual while holding two Tarot Cards. The cards fuse into one and Nekomata appears. Like the Nekomata of legends, she has a cat tail and a seductive female's body. Her appearance is different depending on which legend, of course. Thanks to the Social Link of the Magician's Arcana, she gets stronger and gains the ability to Provoke the enemy.

I thank Theo and Igor and go back to the entrance of Tartarus. My teammates look at me, still not too used to me going off randomly. I look at Akihiko and he gives me a smile, to tell me that he understands what I've been doing.

"Alright, are you ready to go?"

Mitsuru asks Junpei, Yukari, and I. We all nod and head to the transporter. We arrive to the 5th floor right away and prepare ourselves.

"Be careful. The strong presence is on this floor."

Mitsuru's voice sounds in our ears I take a deep breath and concentrate. This will be dangerous, but we have to do it.

"Yukari, Junpei, let's go."

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 **Thank you for reading! Review and tell me what you think :)**


	12. The Hierophant Arcana

**It took a while to post this, I know XD But I hope you guys enjoy it!**

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Chapter 12: The Hierophant Arcana

We run to the middle of the floor where our enemies roam. As soon as they spot us, they let out a shrieking cry. There are three of them. They look like giant black birds with golden masks. We need to know more about them if we are to stand a chance.

"Mitsuru! Can you analyze them?"

She's always been doing a good job at it so far, so she should be able to help us a bit.

"I'll try…"

The three Shadows charge at us, forcing us to run in an attempt to dodge their sharp claws. Having barely escaped the first attack, I notice just how far from my companions I am. In fact, we're all at different corners of the floor's central area. This is not good. We have to stick together!

Before I could reach any of them or even call out to them, a powerful wind assaults me. I instinctively protect my face with my arms. The wind is so strong it cuts through my skin. When it's over, I lower my arms and find them all bloody. I turn my attention towards the Shadow. I can't let my focus slip.

"I can't seem to analyze this one. Something's blocking my reading. It's probably the Shadow itself."

That's not good… I need to do something, though. I need to summon a Persona.

I bring my evoker to my head and call upon Nekomata. I then pull the trigger. Nekomata appears and attacks my enemy with Agi, a fire spell.

At first, the Shadow catches on fire. I did it! Wait…! The fire is going out! The Shadow doesn't even look weakened by my attack. It actually looks stronger!

Before I could react, the Shadow flaps its wings at me and a powerful wind knocks me off my feet and sends me flying into the wall behind me. I can't even cry out in pain, since my breath is cut short by the impact. My body collapses on the floor.

I… I can't get up… but I have to… My body shakes as I try to hoist myself up. Everything hurts. I look up at the Shadow. Through my blurry vision, I see it lunging at me. This is bad! I need to get out of here!

Gathering every ounce of energy I have left, I manage to get up on my feet. The Shadow's too close; I can't possibly dodge it! I put my hands up, preparing for the worse. The impact never comes. I carefully lower my arms and see the Shadow disintegrate before my eyes. When it does, I see Yukari standing behind where it was with her bow up.

"Yukari…!"

Without her I'd be a goner.

"Are you alright?!"

She runs up to me, followed by Junpei.

"Yeah, don't worry about me. More importantly, where are the other Shadows?"

"Yuka-tan took care of 'em with her bow."

"Yeah, it turns out they were very vulnerable to it."

I sigh in relief. My feet wobble from all the bruises I got from that fight. My body's in a lot of pain.

"Let's get out of here and take care of your wounds."

Yukari lends me her shoulder and Junpei does the same. We all head to the terminal and use it to teleport to the entrance.

As soon as the others see me, they run towards me.

"What happened to you?!"

"Who cares, Mitsuru?! She needs to be healed now!"

Akihiko sounds so worried. I've never seen him so agitated before. Yukari then immediately summons her Persona, Io, and heals me using her Dia spell. I would've done the same with Nekomata, but I'm just way too in pain to even move. Io's magic relieves me almost instantly. My wounds close up and the pain subsides. The only thing I'm left with is the fatigue we all feel after fighting in Tartarus.

"Thanks, Yukari."

Yukari's been a lifesaver today. I hear Akihiko sigh in relief.

"You need to be more careful."

I giggle at him. We then all head home.

The next day, I sleep in as usual after a Tartarus trip. Just like every morning lately, Akihiko's already gone. The day goes by and I hear a few people talking about how there's a bookstore that finally opened near Iwatodai Station.

A bookstore, huh? I don't have work today. Maybe I'll go check it out.

When I arrive at Iwatodai station, I head for the strip mall that's right in front of it. If there's a bookstore, it should be around here somewhere. I walk along the first floor, looking at the shops and reading the signs.

Bookworms Used Books… That must be it. I go in and find an old man and woman behind the counter. It's a very small store with a lot of books. It's a bit stuffy, but somehow welcoming.

"Welcome. What would you like today? We have some fresh mackerel!"

The old man is probably trying to joke around. I chuckle.

"Sorry, as you can see, we don't sell fish here."

The old woman brushes his joke off.

"Hey, you're a student, aren't you? You must be from Gekkoukan High, right? That means you've probably seen the persimmon tree there."

"Persimmon tree?"

Now that he mentions it, I do remember a small tree that stood out at school. Could it be that one?

"Do you think I'm making this up!? ...I'm serious! It was planted right beside a walkway in a courtyard at the school."

So it is that tree! I did see it last time I went through that walkway.

"I'm sorry. He's rambling on like an old man. Just ignore him."

There's something about that tree…

"I actually did see it there."

"Oh! You saw the persimmon tree? Is it growing well?"

"Yes, it is. I always admire it every time I pass by."

"I knew it! I knew right from the start that you're a kind young lady!"

The old man seems really happy about it.

"I've been meaning to go see that tree for a while now, but I'm not sure if these stumpy old legs will make it that far… That wasn't meant to be a pun. You know, "stumpy," "tree stump." Catch my drift?"

He bursts out laughing at his own joke. I can't help but giggle along.

"Very clever, dear."

The old lady seems to be pretty used to his jokes.

"Allow me to introduce my wife Mitsuko. I'm Bunkichi."

"Nice to meet you, Bunkichi-san, Mitsuko-san."

I give them a polite bow. I then introduce myself to them as well. They both seem happier now for some reason. Is the tree that important to them?

 _Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Hierophant Arcana…_

The same voice... And the same glass shattering sound. I've grown kind of used to it by now. So, to be able to strengthen the Hierophant Link, I'll need to grow closer to the old couple. I think I'll go home and keep a notebook of all the Social Links I've discovered.

It's getting dark out. I should get home. I say my goodbyes to the old couple.

"We're open every day except Monday. Come visit us if you get bored."

"Thank you, I'll come visit again soon."

I give them another polite bow and head back to the dorm.

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